Sri Lanka-UN Good Cooperation – President of the Security Council

United Nation, 03 April, (Asiantribune.com): Speaking to reporters at the United Nations after the inaugural meeting of the UN Security Council under the Mexican Presidency, the Permanent Representative of Mexico Ambassador Claude Heller told reporters today (2nd April) that Sri Lanka is not on the Security Council agenda and that Council members have nevertheless received good cooperation from the Government of Sri Lanka to share information about the humanitarian situation resulting from the LTTE’s holding Tamil civilians trapped in the safe zone.

Mexico presides over the Security Council for the month of April as the Council Presidency is rotated in alphabetical order. Mexico was preceded by Libya last month and Japan the month before.

Responding to reporters the Mexican Ambassador also said that irrespective of whether the situation is on the agenda of the Council or not the members of the Council were pleased that the Government of Sri Lanka cooperated in providing information through their Representative in New York at an interactive discussion, which the Council Members found extremely useful.

Preceding the Council President’s remarks the UN Secretary General’s Spokesperson Michele Montas announced that another 1000 tons of food stuff and other essentials were sent to the safe zone on board a ship chartered by the Sri Lankan Government and sailing under the ICRC flag. The Spokeswoman also confirmed that the total sea-borne food shipments to the safe zone were 2219 MT.

Reports from the United Nations indicated growing concern about the intransigence of the Tigers is not letting the civilians move out of a hostage situation in the safe zone.

Despite persistent efforts by various international players including the United Nations high officials trying to obtain at least tacit agreement of the Tigers have stubbornly refused to allow those Tamil civilians to get out of the hostage situation.

Earlier speaking to the reporters after an interactive discussion at the Security Council, Sri Lanka envoy to the UN stated that if the LTTE relents and let the civilians move, the Government could be persuaded to agree to a modality to facilitate that. Observers feel a ‘no fire’ period is implied although ‘ceasefire’ is not on the cards.

On a previous occasion, President Rajapaksa declared a 48 hour ‘no fire’ period for civilian movement. The Rehabilitation Authorities and the Humanitarian Agencies report over 62,000 civilians having moved into Government area, up to now.